What Is Google Glass?

Google Glass

Google Glass is a concept that Google has undertaken that has really had the internet excited and intrigued. What these Google glasses do is allow you to use various tools inside of the lens of your glasses instead of having to have external devices like a smartphone or a tablet to look things up. There are many things that Google glasses can do such as use GPS to find your way around, take pictures and video, experience hands free device free note taking and messaging, and use the internet to look things up. This concept is something we have all thought about many times in our years of movie watching and how it was only a matter of time before someone would create this concept, and Google Glass is the beta program of that concept. Let's dive in further and see what these Google glasses have to offer.

Video of what it looks like

Endless possibilities

The idea of having all of these tools built into your eyewear and not having to carry any equipment or devices is extremely cool and really revolutionary. Google has already been overwhelmed with the response and they have shut the entry program down for trying to get a pair of these glasses. It's neat to know that now you can takeCredit: Wikimedia Commons a picture right from your eyewear or a video, because sometimes getting a phone or recording device out is too slow and you will miss whatever it is you are experiencing. Finding where you are with transparent GPS in front of you is very helpful because it keeps your eyes in front and on the road instead of to the side of your windshield so safety is a big deal for them. Being able to Skype with other people when you are sitting around waiting for something is intuitive and helps us keep in touch with others without having to have a camera. There are so many possibilities of great things you can do that it's obvious why the program is shut down already.

Potential for danger

There are questions that come up about danger in using Google glasses. The fact that you aren't entirely focused on your surroundings because you are focused on what's going on with your glasses is a prime concern among many skeptics. Here's a few things to consider. While it is true that there is real danger present especially while doing something like driving where your eyes aren't on the road or the task at hand, they have worked around this with transparency. However I do believe that the fact that the displays are transparent and you don't have to focus on them is enough for the average person. We are still distracted from talking on cell phones, using GPS, and talking to friends in the car and we don't outlaw that, so this shouldn't be any different. I believe that the people who invest enough money into getting on of these whenever they go public will have enough common sense and integrity to keep focus on what's important which is their health and lives.

Privacy concerns

There is also the very real argument about privacy concerns. If everyone is walking around with Google glasses and taking pictures and videos constantly then where is the privacy? People shouldn't have the right to film you wherever you are and take pictures of you whenever they want. While this argument is valid and I'm curious to see wCredit: Wikimedia Commonshere this takes us, people have cell phones and video recording devices today and it's not like this is a brand new concern that's never popped up before. I believe that while it is true that privacy is a concern, we are also able to capture things in real time such as bad events, misuse of authority, and important moments. There is probably a great deal of concern for criminals when they try to commit a crime knowing that everyone has the instant ability to capture high resolution video and photos of them and can immediately be brought to the police as evidence. So while there are certainly privacy concerns and I don't want to mitigate those concerns, there is also potential for a great deal of good that can come out of Google glasses and the technology to come.

Great technology!

So now that we've explored the basics of Google glasses, what they can do, and various concerns that come up from them, what's to come? With Google taking the first step towards this new technology I believe we will see other companies come to follow in their footsteps. This will lead to more competition and more features to be added in the future. I wear glasses to see properly so I couldn't use Google glasses unless I got surgery or contacts, but someday the technology will be there where people who wear glasses can have that technology embedded into their prescription glasses. Who knows? The key is that when new technology emerges and proves successful others will certainly follow and this is a very good thing. I think all the potential good that can come out of this technology will far outweigh the bad things and overall we will probably be more safe of a society than ever before.

Final thoughts

So as these things continue to evolve I believe that Google glasses will emerge as a dominant force in the new age of potential technology and people are already starting to flock to it and embrace it. It's obvious that we want this kind of technology and I hope to see future endeavors of all companies that get into this race succeed. The more money we pour into this the better, and this will lead to an easier way of getting to the masses. I personally look forward to getting my hands on one of these gadgets and plan to try it out. Maybe it will force me to finally get contacts, but who knows how long it will be before we finally see these Google glasses on the shelves in our tech stores and department stores? There you have it! Innovative technology from Google.